It's really a shame with the whole Batman '66 line that the writer embraced the lesser entries of the 2nd and 3rd season rather than really trying to get what made the show work. I know there are fans of the zany comedy version of the show, and I'm as much a fan of the Surfing episode as any of them, but it's like an all you can eat super sweet pastry display-- sure sounds good at first thought but after a few you pretty much never want to see that pastry again.

I don't mind silly but Batman should always be the straight man and never the butt of the jokes.

Without spoiling it, I'll say that while the artwork is nice, the scene it riffs on is one of my most-hated scenes in the entire series.

I know first-hand that writing isn't easy because it's how I've made my living, but I too have been disappointed not only with the tone of the '66 comics stories, but with the scope of them, too. I felt like the comics would be able to tell more interesting stories given the fact that budget wasn't a problem the way it was with the show, for obvious reasons.

To some extent, they did, but in other cases I found them to be lacking. Spoilers ahead:

Granted, it's my favourite character so I'm biased, but to use Siren as an example, in her solo story her caper was to knock over a nightclub at which she was performing. Theoretically, based on series continuity, she's gotten out of prison and had her voice restored, and this is the best plan she can come up with? Heck, in his original treatment, Stanley Ralph Ross had Siren seeking to enslave every male in the world. A bit more ambitious, I would say.

Although to be fair, I'll admit I did like the 'hallucinogenic note' she used on Batman, but that didn't make up for the fact the story had such a limited scope given it dealt with someone with an actual superpower.

'I thought Siren was perfect for Joan.'--Stanley Ralph Ross, writer of 'The Wail of the Siren'

My hobbies include gazing at the Siren and doing her bidding, evil or otherwise.

'She had a devastating, hypnotic effect on all the men.'--A schoolmate describing Joan Collins at age 17

Without spoiling it, I'll say that while the artwork is nice, the scene it riffs on is one of my most-hated scenes in the entire series.

I know first-hand that writing isn't easy because it's how I've made my living, but I too have been disappointed not only with the tone of the '66 comics stories, but with the scope of them, too. I felt like the comics would be able to tell more interesting stories given the fact that budget wasn't a problem the way it was with the show, for obvious reasons.

To some extent, they did, but in other cases I found them to be lacking. Spoilers ahead:

Granted, it's my favourite character so I'm biased, but to use Siren as an example, in her solo story her caper was to knock over a nightclub at which she was performing. Theoretically, based on series continuity, she's gotten out of prison and had her voice restored, and this is the best plan she can come up with? Heck, in his original treatment, Stanley Ralph Ross had Siren seeking to enslave every male in the world. A bit more ambitious, I would say.

Although to be fair, I'll admit I did like the 'hallucinogenic note' she used on Batman, but that didn't make up for the fact the story had such a limited scope given it dealt with someone with an actual superpower.

Write down your story ideas and jokes that had a larger focus or scope I was disappointed that the Batman 66 didn't last long enough to get some other DC or comic book writers who could have given their take on the Bright Knight. Maybe in a few years High C, you can get your ideas published in a Batman 66 revival series.

O.K. the Princess of Plunder sharing an ice cream with Batman is somewhat cringe worthy. Why I don't know?

O.K. the Princess of Plunder sharing an ice cream with Batman is somewhat cringe worthy. Why I don't know?

Well, first of all, it just looks juvenile. They're supposed to be adults, not teenagers. But sadly, that's how the romantic tension between Catwoman and Batman almost always was treated on the show, with all the subtlety, nuance and depth of two boys snickering to each other over a racy magazine in a junior high school locker room.

And also, as others have noted before me, Batman certainly was portrayed as a germophobe in the Pengy for mayor arc, which had aired only a few months before. Put it this way, if Dick Grayson wanted to share a milkshake with his 'best girl,' isn't it easy to picture '66 Bruce Wayne saying, 'Dick, we always must practice proper hygiene. It's much more sanitary to order separate milkshakes, each with its own straw.'

'Gosh, Bruce, when you put it that way...'

'I thought Siren was perfect for Joan.'--Stanley Ralph Ross, writer of 'The Wail of the Siren'

My hobbies include gazing at the Siren and doing her bidding, evil or otherwise.

'She had a devastating, hypnotic effect on all the men.'--A schoolmate describing Joan Collins at age 17

Plus the fact that Catwoman is in full costume, specifically, she is wearing her mask. If she was going straight then why wear the mask to class and then to the malt shoppe?

The scenes with Catwoman pretending to go straight make Batman, the warden and the police look like complete fools. But then again, the show typically made the last two look like bumbling fools. Yes, I know that Batman knew she was up to something, but going to a malt shoppe and sharing a malt was the best they could do?

O.K. the Princess of Plunder sharing an ice cream with Batman is somewhat cringe worthy. Why I don't know?

Well, first of all, it just looks juvenile. They're supposed to be adults, not teenagers. But sadly, that's how the romantic tension between Catwoman and Batman almost always was treated on the show, with all the subtlety, nuance and depth of two boys snickering to each other over a racy magazine in a junior high school locker room.

And also, as others have noted before me, Batman certainly was portrayed as a germophobe in the Pengy for mayor arc, which had aired only a few months before. Put it this way, if Dick Grayson wanted to share a milkshake with his 'best girl,' isn't it easy to picture '66 Bruce Wayne saying, 'Dick, we always must practice proper hygiene. It's much more sanitary to order separate milkshakes, each with its own straw.'

'Gosh, Bruce, when you put it that way...'

You have some valid points High C. I do recall slightly cringing at the romantic music when Batman sat down with Catwoman, and just sort of half accepted what she said. I love corn. But that was way too much for me. In your opinion, did the first season of the show do a better job portraying the relationship before it went full out in the second season?

As for your comment about it being with "all the subtlety, nuance, and depth of two boys snickering to each other over a. .. etc," well that gave me something to thank about, especially with Stanley Ralph Ross. I'll have to think about that for awhile.

As for your mention of Batman being a germaphobe in a previous episode, well. . .. I doubt the continuity people were all that good in the early days of television.

Plus the fact that Catwoman is in full costume, specifically, she is wearing her mask. If she was going straight then why wear the mask to class and then to the malt shoppe?

The scenes with Catwoman pretending to go straight make Batman, the warden and the police look like complete fools. But then again, the show typically made the last two look like bumbling fools. Yes, I know that Batman knew she was up to something, but going to a malt shoppe and sharing a malt was the best they could do?

We're talking the sixties here. And there was an element of comedy to the program, but I did prefer to keep it to Commissioner Gordon and Chief O'Hara, rather than Batman and Robin.

Like the other '66 comics, for some reason, writers are determined to force the idea of the series into the box of ineptitude known as season three of the TV series. Its almost as if they are unwilling to actually write the 1st season Batman because he did not fit the embarrassing S3 version that has become the go-to stereotype for the entire series (e.g., you will hear more references to surfing, Batgirl, flying saucers, dinosaur eggs, etc., than False Face, early Catwoman, the more sinister, choking Joker of S1, etc.).

Now, with this wrongheaded Archie "crossover", the people behind it are just digging a deeper legacy hole to the point that whenever even a casual observer thinks of Batman 1966, they will be think of childish stuff that is easy to dismiss. So much for the truly creative time and effort that went into launching the TV series. ITs al about goofy, mocked, season three Batman, now.

Plus the fact that Catwoman is in full costume, specifically, she is wearing her mask. If she was going straight then why wear the mask to class and then to the malt shoppe?

The scenes with Catwoman pretending to go straight make Batman, the warden and the police look like complete fools. But then again, the show typically made the last two look like bumbling fools. Yes, I know that Batman knew she was up to something, but going to a malt shoppe and sharing a malt was the best they could do?

You hit upon two major problems with the show post-season 1: By the middle of season 2--and it only got worse in season 3--it seemed the producers and writers had fallen in love with having 'set pieces'. Those were scenes that looked good or funny visually (or so they thought), but required a lot of gerrymandering in the plots to get to those set pieces. I'm talking about stuff like Batman and Joker surfing, Batman and the Riddler in the boxing ring, Pengy and Marsha in a solid gold tank, etc.

I mean, there's no reason for Batman to be sharing a milkshake with CW except 1. it looks interesting and 2. it's a convenient way for him to get arrested by idiotic plot point character 'Captain Courageous.' (ugh)

Same problem occurred in the boxing episode. Batman gets in the ring because Riddler calls him a coward? That's his motivation?? the season 1 BM would've said 'sticks and stones may break my bones, etc.'

2. the other problem is that Batman and Robin were made to look dumber as the show went on. Being square is one thing, being stupid is quite another. As you say, Catwoman is dressed in her full regalia--that's the look of a woman who is giving up crime??? But of course, I'm sure the producers didn't want to put Julie in civvies for 75-80 percent of the arc, and I think we all can guess why not. Which is an insult to her, actually. As great as the costume was, the costume alone didn't make '66 Catwoman memorable or iconic. Julie Newmar made '66 Catwoman iconic.

CW attending college as an alter ego in civilian clothes would've made more sense, but of course, they neither used Selina Kyle or developed a different alias for Julie's character. The romantic tension would've been more interesting if Bruce was dating Selina (or a differently-named CW alter ego) and they both are thinking, 'Hmmm, I wonder.' It would've been more mature than the juvenile shenanigans we saw.

'I thought Siren was perfect for Joan.'--Stanley Ralph Ross, writer of 'The Wail of the Siren'

My hobbies include gazing at the Siren and doing her bidding, evil or otherwise.

'She had a devastating, hypnotic effect on all the men.'--A schoolmate describing Joan Collins at age 17

I do recall slightly cringing at the romantic music when Batman sat down with Catwoman, and just sort of half accepted what she said. I love corn. But that was way too much for me. In your opinion, did the first season of the show do a better job portraying the relationship before it went full out in the second season?

Well, the thing is there wasn't really a relationship in the first season. CW just wanted to tease and torment Batman. She wasn't interested in him romantically. I guess that apparently changed after he saved her from falling off the ledge in her first season 2 arc.

My biggest problem with the alleged relationship is it made CW less evil at times. Granted, I know that's often happened in the comics, but it would've been nice if CW could have stayed evil nearly 24/7 yet still had feelings for Batman at inopportune times. It also would have been nice, as you noted, if the sappy trombone music hadn't been used and if their feelings for one another seemed more organic, rather than merely a function of the script.

Given how season 2 Batman is portrayed as not only square, but often stupid, why would a happening 'sixties chick' such as Catwoman have the slightest bit of interest in him? That's my question.

'I thought Siren was perfect for Joan.'--Stanley Ralph Ross, writer of 'The Wail of the Siren'

My hobbies include gazing at the Siren and doing her bidding, evil or otherwise.

'She had a devastating, hypnotic effect on all the men.'--A schoolmate describing Joan Collins at age 17